Sir Ian McKellen is an English actor. Known for his work on stage and screen, he is the recipient of seven Laurence Olivier Awards, a Tony Award, a Golden Globe Award, two Academy Award nominations, four BAFTA nominations and five Emmy Award nominations. McKellen's work spans genres ranging from Shakespearean and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. His notable film roles include Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto in the X-Men films, Sir Leigh Teabing in The Da Vinci Code (2006), Sherlock Holmes in Mr. Holmes (2015) and Cogsworth in the live action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast (2017).

Performances by medium

Film Year Title Role Director Notes 1969 Alfred the Great Roger Clive Donner A Touch of Love George Matthews Waris Hussein The Promise Leonidik Michael Hayes 1981 Priest of Love D. H. Lawrence Christopher Miles 1983 The Keep Dr. Theodore Cuza Michael Mann 1985 Plenty Sir Andrew Charleson Fred Schepisi Zina Arthur Kronfeld Ken McMullen 1989 Scandal John Profumo Michael Caton-Jones 1993 Six Degrees of Separation Geoffrey Miller Fred Schepisi The Ballad of Little Jo Percy Corcoran Maggie Greenwald Last Action Hero Death John McTiernan 1994 To Die For Quilt Documentary Narrator Peter Litten Voice role The Shadow Dr. Reinhardt Lane Russell Mulcahy I'll Do Anything John Earl McAlpine James L. Brooks 1995 Restoration Will Gates Michael Hoffman Richard III Richard III Richard Loncraine Also writer and executive producer Jack and Sarah William Tim Sullivan 1997 Swept from the Sea Dr. James Kennedy Beeban Kidron Bent Uncle Freddie Sean Mathias 1998 Gods and Monsters James Whale Bill Condon Apt Pupil Kurt DussanderBryan Singer 2000 X-Men Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto 2001 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Gandalf the Grey Peter Jackson 2002 The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Gandalf the White 2003 X2 Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto Bryan Singer Emile Emile Carl Bessai The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Gandalf the White Peter Jackson 2004 Eighteen Older Jason Anders Richard Bell Voice role 2005 Neverwas Gabriel Finch Joshua Michael Stern Asylum Dr. Peter Cleave David Mackenzie The Magic Roundabout Zebedee Dave Borthwick, Jean Duval, and Frank Passingham Voice role 2006 Flushed Away The Toad David Bowers and Sam Fell The Da Vinci Code Sir Leigh Teabing Ron Howard X-Men: The Last Stand Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto Brett Ratner 2007 Stardust Narrator Matthew Vaughn Voice role The Golden Compass Iorek Byrnison Chris Weitz 2012 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Gandalf the Grey Peter Jackson 2013 The Wolverine Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto James Mangold Cameo; mid-credits scene The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Gandalf the Grey Peter Jackson 2014 Miss in Her Teens The Prologue Matthew Butler Hart X-Men: Days of Future Past Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto Bryan Singer Shared role with Michael Fassbender The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Gandalf the Grey Peter Jackson 2015 Mr. Holmes Sherlock Holmes Bill Condon 2017 Beauty and the Beast Cogsworth also voice Animal Crackers Horatio P. Huntington Scott Christian Sava and Tony Bancroft Voice role 2018 All Is True Earl of Southampton Kenneth Branagh 2019 The Good Liar Roy Courtnay Bill Condon Cats Gus the Theatre Cat Tom Hooper 2021 Infinitum: Subject Unknown Dr. Charles Marland-White Matthew Butler-Hart 2023 The One Note Man Storyteller George Siougas Voice role; short film The Critic Jimmy Erskine Anand Tucker2024 Hamlet Hamlet Sean Mathias Dragfox Gingersnap the Fox Lisa Ott Voice role; short film 2025 The Christophers Julian Sklar Steven Soderbergh 2026 Percy Sean Mathias Post-production Jacob Marley Ti West Post-production Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto Anthony Russo and Joseph Russo Post-production 2027 Gandalf the Grey Andy Serkis Filming Sources:

Theatre

Year Title Role Director Venue 1964 Sir Thomas More Thomas More Frank Dunlop Nottingham Playhouse. A Scent of Flowers Godrey Duke of York's Theatre 1965 Much Ado About Nothing Claudio National Theatre - The Old Vic Armstrong's Last Goodnight Protestant Evangelist National Theatre - Chichester Festival Theatre Trelawny of the 'Wells' Capt. de Foenix 1966 The Man of Destiny / O'Flaherty V.C. Corporal Napoleon / Private O'Flaherty Mermaid Theatre A Lily in Little India Alvin Hanker Hampstead Theatre Their Very Own and Golden City Andrew Cobham Mermaid Theatre 1967 The Promise Leonidik Fortune Theatre and Henry Miller's Theatre 1968 The White Liars / Black Comedy Tom / Harold Gorringe Lyric Theatre 1968–1970 Richard II Richard II UK tour 1969 The Bacchae Pentheus Liverpool Playhouse The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Director; Liverpool Playhouse Three Months Gone 1969–1970 Edward II Edward II UK and European tours 1970 Billy's Last Stand Darkly Royal Court Theatre The Recruiting Officer Captain Plume UK tour Chips with Everything Corporal Hill 1971 Hamlet Prince Hamlet UK and European tours The Swan Song Svetlovidov Crucible Theatre 1972 The Real Inspector Hound Director; Phoenix Theatre The Erpingham Camp Director; Watford Palace Theatre Ruling the Roost / Tis Pity She's a Whore / The Three Arrows Page-boy / Giovanni / Prince Yoremitsu UK tour 1973 A Private Matter Director; Vaudeville Theatre 1973–1974 The Way of the World / The Wood Demon / King Lear Lady Wishfort's Footman / Kruschov / Edgar UK tour; Brooklyn Academy of Music 1974 Tis Pity She's a Whore Giovanni Wimbledon Theatre Dr Faustus Dr. Faustus Edinburgh Festival and Aldwych Theatre The Marquis of Keith The Marquis of Keith Aldwych Theatre 1975 King John King John The Clandestine Marriage Director; Savoy Theatre Ashes Colin The Young Vic Too True to Be Good Aubrey "Popsy" Bagot Aldwych Theatre 1976–1977 Romeo and Juliet Romeo Trevor Nunn Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Aldwych Theatre, Theatre Royal, Newcastle 1976 The Winter's Tale King Leontes John Barton, Barry Kyle, and Trevor Nunn Royal Shakespeare Theatre 1976–1978 Macbeth MacbethTrevor Nunn The Other Place, The Young Vic, and Warehouse 1977–1978 The Alchemist Face Royal Shakespeare Theatre and Aldwych Theatre 1977 Every Good Boy Deserves Favour Alexander Barbican Arts Centre Pillars of the Community Karsten Bernick John Barton Aldwych Theatre The Days of the Commune Langevin Howard Davies 1978 A Miserable and Lonely Death Kentridge Walter Donohue 1978–1979 Twelfth Night / Three Sisters Sir Toby Belch / Andrei John Amiel / Trevor Nunn Also producer; UK tour 1979 Bent Max Robert Chetwyn Royal Court Theatre and Criterion Theatre 1980–1990 Acting Shakespeare Himself World tours 1980–1981 Amadeus Salieri Peter Hall Broadhurst Theatre 1982 Every Good Boy Deserves Favour Alexander Trevor Nunn Barbican Arts Centre 1983 Short List Terry Mike Ockrent Hampstead Theatre Cowardice Boy Anthony Page Ambassadors Theatre 1984 Venice Preserv'd Pierre Peter Gill Royal National Theatre Wild Honey Michael Platonov Christopher Morahan Coriolanus Gaius Marcius Coriolanus Peter Hall 1985 The Duchess of Malfi Bosola Philip Prowse The Real Inspector Hound / The Critic Inspector Hound / Mr. Puff Tom Stoppard / Sheila Hancock The Cherry Orchard Yermolai Lopakhin Mike Alfreds 1986–1987 Wild Honey Michael Platonov Christopher Morahan Virginia Theatre 1988 Before the Act Performer and Producer Programme Booklet for Before the Act - A Celebration to Counter the Effects of Section 28, June 1988 Piccadilly Theatre 1988–1989 Henceforward ... Jerome Alan Ayckbourn Vaudeville Theatre 1989 Othello Iago Trevor Nunn The Other Place and The Young Vic 1990–1992 Richard III Richard III Richard Eyre Royal National Theatre and World tour 1992 Uncle Vanya Uncle Vanya Sean Mathias Royal National Theatre 1993–1997 A Knight Out Himself UK and US tours 1997–1998 An Enemy of the People Dr. Tomas Stockmann Trevor Nunn Royal National Theatre and Ahmanson Theatre 1997 Peter Pan Mr. Darling/Captain Hook John Caird Royal National Theatre 1998 Present Laughter Garry Essendine Malcolm Sutherland West Yorkshire Playhouse 1999 The Tempest Prospero Jude Kelly 2001–2004 Dance of Death EdgarSean Mathias Broadhurst Theatre, Lyric Theatre, and Sydney Arts Festival 2004, 2005 Aladdin Widow Twankie The Old Vic 2006 The Cut Max Michael Grandage Donmar Warehouse 2007–2008 King Lear LearTrevor Nunn Stratford-upon-Avon, Brooklyn Academy of Music, and New London Theatre The Seagull Sorin 2009–2010 Waiting for Godot EstragonSean Mathias Theatre Royal Haymarket, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, and Fugard Theatre, Cape Town 2011 The Syndicate Don Antonio Chichester Festival Theatre 2013 No Man's Land Spooner Berkeley Repertory Theatre 2013–2014 Waiting for Godot / No Man's Land Estragon / Spooner Cort Theatre 2016 No Man's Land Spooner Wyndham's Theatre 2016–2019 The Exorcist Demon (voice) Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Phoenix Theatre; UK tour 2017 Shakespeare, Tolkien, Others and You Himself Jez Bond Park Theatre 2017–2018King Lear Lear Jonathan Munby Chichester Festival Theatre and Duke of York's Theatre 2019–2020 Ian McKellen on Stage HimselfSean Mathias UK tour; Harold Pinter Theatre and Hudson Theatre2021 Hamlet Prince HamletTheatre Royal, Windsor The Cherry Orchard Firs 2022 Hamlet with Ian McKellen Performer Peter Schaufuss Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2022–2023 Mother Goose Mother Goose Cal McCrystal Duke of York's Theatre; UK tour 2023 Frank and Percy Percy Sean Mathias Theatre Royal, Windsor, Theatre Royal, Bath, and The Other Palace 2024 Player Kings John Falstaff Robert Icke Noël Coward Theatre 2025 Inside No. 9 Stage/Fright Guest star (one-night only) Simon Evans Wyndham's Theatre Twelfth Night Opening Phoebe Kemp The Space

Television Year Title Role Notes 1964 The Indian Tales of Rudyard Kipling Plowden Episode: "The Tomb of His Ancestors" 1965 Sunday Out of Season Victor Leech Television film The Wednesday Play Wolf Episode: "The Trial and Torture of Sir John Rampayne" 1966 David Copperfield David Copperfield 9 episodes 1970 Solo John Keats Episode: "Ian McKellen as John Keats" 1972 Country Matters David Masterman Episode: "Craven Arms" 1978 Jackanory Reader 5 episodes reading "The Moon in the Cloud" 1979 Macbeth Macbeth Television film 1980 Armchair Thriller Anthony Skipling 4-episode story: "Dying Day" 1981 Pillar of Fire Narrator Documentary1982The Scarlet Pimpernel Paul ChauvelinTelevision film Walter Walter 1983 Walter and June 1988 Windmills of the Gods Chairman 2 episodes 1989 Countdown to War Adolf HitlerTelevision film 1990 Othello Iago1993 Tales of the City Archibald Anson Gidde Miniseries, episodes 3 and 5 And The Band Played On Bill KrausTelevision film 1995 Cold Comfort Farm Amos Starkadder 1996 Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny Tsar Nicholas II 1999 David Copperfield Mr. Creakle 2 episodes 2002 Saturday Night Live Himself (host) Episode: "Ian McKellen/Kylie Minogue" 2003 The Simpsons Himself Voice; Episode: "The Regina Monologues" 2005 Coronation Street Mel Hutchwright/Lionel Hipkiss 10 episodes 2006 Extras Himself Episode: "Sir Ian McKellen" 2008 King Lear King Lear Television film 2009 The Prisoner Number Two 6 episodes 2012 Doctor Who The Great Intelligence Voice; Episode: "The Snowmen" 2013–2016 Vicious Freddie Thornhill 14 episodes 2015 The Dresser Norman Television film 2018 Family Guy Dr. Cecil Pritchfield Voice; Episode: "Send in Stewie, Please" 2024 Ted Narrator 2 episodes Sources:

Radio Year Title Role 1967 The First St Joan The Dauphin The First St Joan page at the BBC Programme Index, accessed 8 May 2026. 1971 Desert Island Discs CastawayDesert Island Discs for 7 August 1971 at the BBC Programme Index, accessed 8 May 2026. 2006 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Narrator Sir Gawain and the Green Knight on BBC Radio 4 at the BBC website, accessed 8 May 2026.

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